Superintendent's Update 5/15/19

Superintendent's Update 05/15/2019

Posted on 05/15/2019

May 15, 2019 Community Update

Dear Medway families,

Last week we honored our educators across the district recognizing their hard work and commitment to our students and the work of the district. We hope that you also had the opportunity to share your appreciation. We are also appreciative of our Medway Elementary and Secondary Parent Teacher Organizations (MEPTO and MSPTO) for their coordination of efforts of gratitude throughout the district.

The final weeks of school contain numerous opportunities to celebrate our students for their hard work and achievements. We hope that you will have the opportunity to join us in these celebrations and in the opportunity to conclude the 2018-2019 school year with a sense of joy and accomplishment.

Sincerely,

Armand Pires, Ph.D.

Superintendent

Early Release Day: May 17, 2019

Just a reminder that Friday, May 17, will be an early release for all students in support of professional development for our faculty and staff. Students will be released at the following times:

McGovern: 12:00 p.m.

Burke-Memorial: 11:30 a.m.

Medway Middle: 11:02 a.m.

Medway High: 11:34 a.m.

Medway High School Recognitions

We are incredibly proud of our faculty and staff at Medway High School, and throughout the district, for the public recognition that they received through U.S News and World Reports: Best High Schools 2019. Medway High School was ranked #24 out of 395 high schools in the state. The article with more information and full rankings can be foundhere.

Additionally, we learned that Medway High School has received GreatSchools.org’s 2019 College Success Award. We are one of only 75 schools to win this award. The College Success Award is based on the school’s success in preparing students for college and ultimately careers. The College Success awards recognize public high schools that stand out in getting students enrolled in - and staying with - college.

Massachusetts Public Water System Award: STARL Award (Systems Taking Action to Reduce Lead)

We are pleased to announce that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection recognized both the Medway Water Department and the Medway Public Schools for their work around ensuring safe drinking water. We received the STARL Award from the Massachusetts Public Water System. This award is given to water systems and schools who take action to reduce lead in school drinking water. On Tuesday, Don Aicardi, Director of Finance and Operations, and Barry Smith, Medway Water Superintendent, attended the Public Water System Awards Day event where they were awarded the 2019 Star L Award as well as official citations from the House and the Senate.

Medway High School Prom

This Friday, many of our high school students will be attending the Medway High School Prom at the Four Points Sheraton in Norwood, MA. This event is one that has the potential to be a highlight in students’ memories long after their high school days have concluded. The high school team has worked hard to ensure safe transit and supervision to and from the prom. In support of a fun, memorable, and safe event for all students, we share with you this resource published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), https://www.cdc.gov/family/prom/index.htm.

Medway Annual Town Meeting

Thank you to the Medway community for your support of the 2019-2020 (FY20) Medway Public Schools budget which was approved as part of the complete Town of Medway budget at the May 13 Town Meeting. The partnership of the town and our families are pivotal and we are appreciative of the on-going commitment and trust that this approval represents. Special thank you to the Medway School Committee for their support to bring this budget forward as recommended.

School Calendars

Our last day of school, which will be a half day, will be Tuesday, June 18, 2019. The approved calendar for the 2019-2020 school year can be found here.

Medway High School Assistant Principal Search

We have completed the first round of interviews for the Medway High School Assistant Principal search and we were excited to welcome our three finalists back to the district this week to take part site visits at Medway High School. Finalists had the opportunity to meet with various stakeholder groups as well as tour our school. We hope to appoint the new Medway High School Assistant Principal the week of May 20, 2019.

K-5 and 6-8 Mathematics Resource Adoption Update

In support of on-going, continuous learning and in response to the feedback that was yielded from the PK-12 Mathematics Curriculum Review Process, grade K-5 and grade 6-8 educators are in the process of facilitating their final mini-pilot of a new core resource. Our K-5 students will be experiencing mathematics learning that has been outlined by Eureka Math and our grade 6-8 students will be experiencing mathematics learning that has been outlined by Open Up/Illustrative Math. At the end of May, our educators will be evaluating the resources used during the 2018-2019 mini-pilots in service to a full year pilot decision for the 2019-2020 school year. We will be sharing this information as well as an implementation plan with our community following our June 6 presentation to the Medway School Committee.

5th Grade Bike Safety Program

During the month of May, Sgt. Watson of the Medway Police Department is providing a hands-on bike safety lesson to our grade 5 health students. Sgt. Watson’s lessons reinforce the skills learned through the health education curriculum and allow students to practice their skills while riding a bike. These lessons have been enhanced through the generous donation of a bicycle to our Medway Middle School health education department by the Alex Handy Foundation and the Medway Police Department.

May Wellness Newsletter

In this month’s edition of the Medway Wellness Newsletter you will find information about Medway Middle School student vaping projects, Medway Public School’s' collaboration with the Alex Handy Foundation and Medway Police around bike safety, and more.

MetroWest Foundation: SBIRT Presentation

In response to the opioid epidemic, the Massachusetts legislature passed the STEP Act in 2016. This act mandates that all school districts implement a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) system as a way to screen middle and high school students for substance use. Initial attempts at administering SBIRT in schools demonstrated results that underreported substance use prevalence when compared with other data sources, including local Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. In January of 2018, the Medway Public Schools was awarded grants from the MetroWest Health Foundation and the Norfolk District Attorney's Office that allowed us to partner with Boston Children’s Hospital to investigate how to administer SBIRT more effectively in schools.

Recently, Dr. Ryan Sherman, Director of Wellness, and Sion Harri of Boston Children’s Hospital presented the findings of this investigation to an audience of over 25 people at the MetroWest Health Foundation. Those in attendance represented the MA Department of Public Health, the MA SBIRT Implementation Team, school administrators, and school nurse leaders from around the state.

We are appreciative for the opportunity we were afforded to study this practice and believe that the results will support our current and future practices connected with this screening.

Permanent Art Collection: Print Orders Accepted

Last months’ Permanent Art Collection Gallery Opening was a great success. Prints of the featured artists’ works are available for purchase. If you are interested in purchasing an 8x10 matted print of any of the pieces from this year’s collection, please fill out this order form and return it to the superintendent’s office. Each print is $25. Checks can be made payable to Medway Public Schools. The funds raised will support sustainability of this event. Prints will be available for pick up at the superintendent’s office once ready. We will accept orders through June 1, 2019.

Winter Sports’ Season All-Star Awards Update

In our previous Community Update, we inadvertently omitted Swim from our winter athlete highlights. Our apologies for the error. The complete list is included below:

Congratulations to the following athletes for being recognized for contributions made during their winter sports’ seasons:

Medway Public Schools is now accepting nominations for names to be placed on the Burke-Memorial School plaque. A nomination form can be found hereor in the superintendent’s office. Nominations must be submitted to the Office of the Superintendent, Medway Public Schools, 45 Holliston Street, Medway, MA 02053 by May 30, 2019.Candidates for inclusion on the Burke-Memorial School plaque must have made a significant or memorable contribution to the town and/or school community. Through their behavior and character, the candidate can be shown to be/have been an excellent role model. This person, through service, volunteerism, or dedication has made Medway school or town life better for those who follow.Residents, past or present, who have sacrificed their lives or freedom in service to their country, either as members of the military or as civilians contributing to military or peace efforts, may also be nominated.The superintendent’s office shall send a letter to the candidate(s) or their families to advise them that a nomination has been made.The Medway School Committee will vote on the nominations in June.

Mustang Nation Athletics Newsletter

The latest edition of Mustang Nation, Medway Public School’s athletics’ newsletter, can be found here.

Medway Public Schools In the News

The Medway Public Schools have been highlighted a few times in the last few of weeks. Links to these articles can be found below.

Part time and substitute jobs are available in our Food Services Department. We are looking for individuals interested in serving healthy food to students with the flexibility to be home when kids are home. Food service experience is a plus, but not required. Please email Shawn Fallon at sfallon@medwayschools.org or call 508-533-3230 X 5026 for more information.

MFPA Fundraising Effort
Medway Friends of the Performing Arts has embarked on their first annual campaign $5 for Fortissimo. MFPA is asking the community to ‘loudly’ support the Medway School System Performing Arts Programs by giving $5 to benefit students from PK through 12th grade. The MFPA is planning its support of school performing arts programs and extracurricular activities for the 2019-2020 school year. Support from the Medway community can help them reach their goals. The MFPA is proud to have provided the following in the past:
scholarships for instrument lessons
musical instruments
a portable sound system for the district
funding towards school musicals
buses for enrichment trips
Tri-M ceremonies
and community concerts

Donations of any amount can be made the following ways: Cash, Check or PayPal. Please deliver our completed form and your cash or check donation to your child’s school office or mail the form with your donation to:

MFPA, 5 Grapevine Way, Medway, MA 02053

Every donor will be entered into a drawing to win a season pass of (2) tickets for one performance each of the HS

play, HS musical, and MS musical.

Upcoming Events

May 15, 2019

High School Pops Concert and Art Walk, Auditorium, Medway High School, 6:00 p.m.